How can interference from reducing substances in the Jaffe reaction be partially mitigated?

The Jaffe reaction is commonly used to measure creatinine levels in serum. One of the challenges in this assay is the interference from reducing substances that can also react with the reagents used in the reaction, leading to erroneous results.

Measuring the timed rate of product formation is an effective way to mitigate interference from reducing substances. By assessing how quickly the product forms over a specific time interval, one can distinguish between the contributions of actual creatinine and those from interfering substances. This rate can provide a clearer picture of the reaction dynamics, and as such, can help in accurately quantifying the creatinine level.

Additionally, if reducing substances consistently interfere but their influence can be assessed over time, one might be able to adjust or correct the final readings based on the expected behavior of these interfering substances when compared to the actual rate of creatinine reaction, thus enhancing the specificity and reliability of the results.

Other methods mentioned, such as measuring the product at a specific wavelength or using electrodes, may not adequately separate the signal from the interference, and performing a sample blank may not completely eliminate the effects of these substances since it would only account for constant baseline shifts rather than dynamic interactions occurring in real-time.